Leese Loose in France - Part 4

Our last few days in France were spent getting to and hanging out in the French Riviera.

April 17

Antibes

After we grabbed some breakfast and packed up the car, we drove the two and a half or so hours to Antibes. The city is on the coast so very much of the coastal vibe and much, much more touristy than we'd experienced so far in the trip.

We wandered around town, stopping in a few shops before getting lunch at a place Matt found online. The place was decorated to look like you were on a ship, complete with portholes and ropes. We all chose seafood options - mussels in cream for Lizzy, fried mixed seafood for Matt, and seafood risotto for me. Lizzy and I loved hers while Matt slightly regretted his decision.

Now for a classic example of weird things always happen to me. The place was super busy so Matt and Lizzy went to hang out outside while I tried to get the attention of a staff member to pay our bill. Eventually, I was directed to the bar to pay my bill with the bar tender. Handed him my card and he went to put it in the machine....only for it to slip between the bar and the built-in fridges. We both looked at the card, stuck in place, then at each other. The employee shrugged and walked off. Eventually, the woman who had served us came by and we explained what happened. After much apologies, she gave us a discount on our meal and her email address, should I need to pay a fee to get a new card. Thankfully, I was able to pay via Apple Pay. Before I walked out, she joked, "Next time you're in Antibes, you can come and visit your card!"

Pablo Picasso lived in town in 1946 so the first ever museum of his work is located there. We arrived just after the afternoon break so had a bit of a wait in the light rain then, as you'd expect, the place was pretty busy. They've got a dozen or so of his work and those of his contemporaries on display so it's rather small but I'll never pass up a museum of his (or Van Gogh's) work.

After the museum, it was late afternoon so we drove the rest of the way to Villefranche-sur-Mer and checked in to our rental apartment with a representative of the reality company. Matt and I went out later to explore town and grab a few things from the grocery store.

April 18

La Turbie

In the Riviera, there are three "courses" you can take to explore the coast - a high, middle, and low / close to the sea road. Each winds through at a different height relative to the water and offers amazing views. There are lots of very tight turns so I was happy to be a passenger who could close her eyes when things got a bit scary.

Our first stop was in the tiny town of La Turbie. The town didn't seem to have awoken for the day yet so we wandered around aimlessly, eventually stopping at a bakery for treats to have later and a Casino for drinks. Lizzy was very happy to see several kitties as we wandered though none were in the mood for pets.

Vence

We drove on, then, to Vence. It was market day which is always fun. Despite it being Good Friday, everything was hopping across town. We were able to buy some socca - a thin pancake sort of snack made out of chickpea flower and olive oil - and I found a great little shop where I got some more tea and sesame seeds with yuzu.

Lunch was at a place we all thought looked good in a little square with several other places. Lizzy got a kids pizza and creme brulee, the later of which she tried but didn't like (weirdo). I got mussels with cream after envying hers the day before. Matt went for a beef stew with a side of ravioli that he swears was the best thing he ate the entire trip.

Before leaving town, we picked up some spinach and cheese pasta and saffron arancini to make for dinner. We attempted to visit a chapel with a Matisse but it was closed for the lunch break.

Plage Paloma

Lizzy LOVES the beach, especially playing at the edge of the water, building sand sculptures, and looking for cool shells / rocks. Well, the beaches in the Riviera have rocks and very little sand, so she busied herself splashing in the cold water and looking for sea glass. Matt and I enjoyed the sun and stayed bundled up in light sweaters as she played. We were very lucky to have gotten a spot right by this very popular beach - and didn't even have to pay anything to park there!

April 19

Nice Food Tour

We love to go on food-based walking tours, usually when we first arrive in a city. This time, we went on our last day in the area which we sort of regret as we'd already had a chance to try most of the regional specialities.

Where We Went:

• Picasso Museum of Antibes: information here in English, also includes notes about other Picasso-related sites in Antibes
• Rental in Villefranche-sur-Mer, about 20 minutes from Nice - book via the rental company directly here
• Nice Food Tour